Global Insights

Network 20/20
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Network 20/20’s Global Insights is a series of moderated conversations that brings together a curious global audience to dig deeper into macro-level and region-specific trends shaping our world.

  1. 3 days ago

    Abu Dhabi’s Ascent: The UAE’s Global Strategy

    Visit us at Network2020.org. The United Arab Emirates’ recent decision to leave OPEC after nearly six decades is about far more than oil—it is the latest sign of a growing rift with Saudi Arabia and a marker of Abu Dhabi’s willingness to challenge a regional order long dominated by Riyadh. From normalizing relations with Israel to pursuing strategic autonomy between the United States and China, the UAE has repeatedly shown that it is prepared to break with old frameworks when they no longer serve its ambitions. In just over 50 years, the federation has transformed itself from a small Gulf state into a global financial, logistics, and diplomatic hub with influence that far exceeds its size. How did the UAE achieve this remarkable rise, and what is Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s long-term vision for the country’s future? What is driving Abu Dhabi’s expanding global influence, and how is it balancing relationships with Washington, Beijing, Riyadh, and its regional neighbors? And can its model of economic diversification, technological innovation, and assertive diplomacy sustain its ambitions, or will geopolitical rivalries and domestic constraints complicate its ascent? Join us for a discussion with Dr. Neil Quilliam, Associate Fellow with Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme, for a conversation on the UAE’s rise as a regional and global power and what it means for the future of the Middle East. Music by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay.

    Abu Dhabi’s Ascent: The UAE’s Global Strategy

  2. 11 Aug

    The Philippines and the Contest for the South China Sea

    Visit us at Network2020.org. The Philippines sits at the center of an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific, caught between its traditional ally in Washington, and rising interference from Beijing. The country’s strategic location including control of the Luzon Strait, which sees over one trillion dollars in passing goods annually, makes it an important player in the jockeying for economic position in the South China Sea. And the disputed Scarborough Shoal is the last link in the Chinese artificial island triangle which could allow China to project radar control over the South China Sea. As strategic competition intensifies between the United States and China, Manila’s foreign policy choices are shaping not only regional security but also the future of global trade and maritime governance. What greater strategic role does the Philippines play in Asia and the South China Sea? How has the country changed its strategic outlook during the transition from Rodrigo Duterte to Bongbong Marcos? And how will Philippine foreign policy influence the future of regional stability, commerce, and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific? Join us for a discussion with Gregory B. Poling, Director and Senior Fellow at the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and author of On Dangerous Ground: America’s Century in the South China Sea.

    The Philippines and the Contest for the South China Sea

  3. 21 Jul

    NATO: Europe without America, with Jeremy Shapiro (Rewind Edition)

    Visit us at Network2020.org. For nearly eighty years, Europe's security has rested on a single assumption: that the Americans would be there. In early March, days into the war with Iran, and weeks after Washington threatened to take Greenland from a NATO ally, we sat down with Jeremy Shapiro to ask whether that assumption still holds, and what Europe does if it doesn't. Since this conversation was recorded, the Pentagon has ordered thousands of American troops out of Germany, canceled an armored brigade deployment to Poland, and told allies that future U.S. force levels will depend on how well they align with Washington's priorities. France has offered its nuclear umbrella to eight European countries. And at last week's NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump suggested the United States could remove its soldiers from Europe entirely. Shapiro saw much of this coming. He explains why Europeans no longer trust the American security guarantee, why they can't yet walk away from it, and what a European defense built to operate without the United States would look like, if the political will lasts long enough to build it. Can Europe defend itself before the American umbrella closes? And what happens to the alliance if the answer is no? Join us for this special recap edition featuring Jeremy Shapiro, Research Director at the European Council on Foreign Relations.  Music by Alex_Kizenkov from Pixabay.

    NATO: Europe without America, with Jeremy Shapiro (Rewind Edition)

  4. 8 Jul

    Chokepoints: The Hidden Infrastructure of Global Power

    Visit us at Network2020.org. From the Strait of Hormuz to the international monetary system to the semi-conductor supply chain, the world is becoming increasingly aware of how dependence on critical chokepoints is shaping how countries can wield power and leverage. As diplomacy becomes increasingly transactional and technological and energy systems undergo rapid transformation, understanding these visible and invisible chokepoints is essential to any decision maker. Is the weaponization of geography becoming the norm? What strategic gains do states expect from exploiting chokepoints? And which mechanisms can prevent the weaponization of chokepoints by states? Join us for a discussion featuring Edward Fishman, Senior Fellow and Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomics at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of “Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare,” Professor Monica Hakimi, the William S. Beinecke Professor of Law at Columbia Law School, and Professor James Holmes, the J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College. Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay.

    Chokepoints: The Hidden Infrastructure of Global Power

  5. 23 Jun

    The End of the Predictable World: Forecasting a World in Turmoil

    Visit us at Network2020.org. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The COVID-19 Pandemic. On-and-off-and-on-again tariffs. Over the past few years, the deeply interconnected global system has experienced major shocks that international organizations and nation states alike have struggled to grapple with. In this age of uncertainty, businesses and governments need to make new calculations. More large companies are opening their own geopolitical units to stay steady on the shifting currents. How do corporations assess geopolitical risks? What changes do companies large and small need to make in their approaches to doing business? And what unforeseen opportunities may come from these changes? Join us to delve into the calculation of risks in this potential new geopolitical order with Matt Gertken, Chief Geopolitical/US Political Strategist at BCA Research and Pablo Rasmussen, a Director at Brzezinski Global Strategies. Music by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay.

    The End of the Predictable World: Forecasting a World in Turmoil

  6. 9 Jun

    The Kurdish Crossroads: Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria

    Visit us at Network2020.org.  Recent hostilities with Iran have once again highlighted the role of the Kurds as a key player in regional conflicts. While seen as a threat by governments in Ankara, Tehran, Damascus, and Baghdad, the world’s largest stateless group of people continues to be considered by Washington as potential allies when convenient. As the region faces new waves of destabilization, particularly with the war with Iran and the new Syrian government consolidating its territory, what will the role of the Kurds be across the region? How will the disparate views of 30-40 million people spread over four countries impact dynamics in this volatile region as well as for their own quest for independence? . Join us for a discussion with Bill Park, Visiting Research Fellow in the Defence Studies Department, King’s College, London, where we will examine how today’s rapidly shifting regional dynamics are creating both new opportunities and new vulnerabilities for Kurdish communities and whether potential support from the U.S. will be strong and sustainable or easily abandoned. Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay

    The Kurdish Crossroads: Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria

  7. 26 May

    Rising Proliferation: Nuclear Risks in a Post-Treaty World

    Visit us at Network2020.org.  The recent expiration of the New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia marks a structural shift in the global nuclear order, removing the last legally binding constraints on the world’s two largest arsenals. With no successor framework in place, the bilateral arms control architecture that has underpinned stability for decades is effectively suspended. In its absence, risks of vertical and horizontal proliferation are intensifying. According to the UN assessment, for the first time in decades, the number of nuclear warheads and nuclear testing is rising, and global military spending climbed to $2.7 trillion in 2025, an increase of 2.9% from the previous year. New records show that China is the fastest-growing nuclear power globally and is significantly expanding its nuclear weapons infrastructure, raising concerns about a potential new global arms race as major arms control agreements weaken. At the same time, emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, and precision-strike capabilities, are reshaping the foundations of deterrence, complicating traditional approaches to verification and monitoring. This discussion will examine how the erosion of arms control is accelerating proliferation pressures, how technological change is altering the strategic landscape, and whether a new, credible system of nuclear restraint can still be constructed. Join us for an insightful virtual discussion on the new risks of global proliferation featuring David Albright, a Physicist and Founder of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security, Alexandra Bell, President and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn, Senior Fellow and Director of Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security. Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay.

    Rising Proliferation: Nuclear Risks in a Post-Treaty World

  8. 12 May

    Cuba’s Future and U.S. Interests

    Visit us at Network2020.org.  Cuba is at a strategic crossroads as the near collapse of its national energy system reshapes the island’s political landscape. Intense U.S. sanctions and the loss of energy support from traditional partners like Venezuela have left the Cuban government in its most vulnerable state in decades. While Havana seeks diplomatic paths forward, the current U.S. administration sees an opportunity for changing a government that Washington has declared “an unusual and extraordinary security threat.” This crisis moment carries profound implications for U.S. foreign policy and for broader geopolitics.. What is the current situation in Cuba, and how is Washington’s geopolitical pressure impacting its governance? What role might other countries, like Russia, play in this situation? And what are most likely future scenarios for Cuba? Join us for an insightful discussion that explores the current state of affairs in Cuba and its future trajectory. Our speaker for this briefing will be Emily Mendrala, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Music by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay.

    Cuba’s Future and U.S. Interests
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About

Network 20/20’s Global Insights is a series of moderated conversations that brings together a curious global audience to dig deeper into macro-level and region-specific trends shaping our world.

Information

  • Creator
    Network 20/20
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    139
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Global Insights
  • Show Website
    Global Insights

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